Marshfield puppies rescued from trash can are 'healthy and growing,' shelter says

A litter of eight Australian shepherd Labrador puppies are with a foster family after being rescued from a garbage can in Marshfield.(Photo: Courtesy of the Marshfield Area Pet Shelter)

MARSHFIELD — The litter of puppies rescued from a garbage can in Marshfield are healthy and being cared for by a foster family, a local animal shelter said Wednesday.

The now 2-week-old Australian shepherd Labrador puppies are healthy and growing and are temporarily with their mother in the foster home, said Kaitlin Loberg, manager of the Marshfield Area Pet Shelter.

Salesman Mark Theobald found the eight puppies Feb. 28 in the 800 block of East Fourth Street while he was visiting a home in the neighborhood. Theobald said he heard crying coming from the trashcan and thought the animals were cats.

“I thought between the cold wind and snow, I’d check on them,” he said in a statement.

When he opened the the trashcan, he saw a bag that was moving. Marshfield police rescued the puppies and took them to the shelter.

On Tuesday, police announced they asked Wood County prosecutors to charge Robert M. Wild, 56, of Marshfield, with misdemeanor mistreatment of animals and abandonment of animals. Charges had not yet been filed as of Wednesday afternoon.

“We are thankful the puppies were found when they were thanks to the quick actions of the person who discovered them and the police department,” said Karen Rau, the shelter's founder.

The puppies won't be available for adoption for another two months, and the shelter is not accepting applications for the puppies at this time, though donations are welcome.

"We need to focus on making sure these guys grow up big and strong first," the shelter posted on its Facebook page.

Those interested in adopting a puppy in the future should follow the Marshfield Area Pet Shelter on Facebook. Adoption details will be available after April 11, according to the shelter.

One of the puppies rescued from a trashcan in Marshfield sleeps.(Photo: Courtesy of the Marshfield Are Pet Shelter)